DescriptionA runaway slave with a
shadowy past, sixteen-year-old Persephone has spent four long years
toiling beneath the leering gaze of her despised owner and dreaming of a
life where she is free to shape her own destiny. Then, one night, a
chance encounter with a handsome chicken thief named Azriel changes her
life forever.

Sold to him for a small bag of gold coins,
Persephone soon discovers what she already suspected: namely, that
Azriel is not what he seems. And when she realizes that he believes
Persephone has a special destiny—she is determined to escape him and his
impossibly broad shoulders.

But things are no longer as simple
as they once were. Torn between her longing for freedom and her
undeniable feelings for the handsome thief with the fast hands and the
slow smile, Persephone faces the hardest choice she will ever have to
make. And no one least of all her—could have imagined the shocking truth
her decision will reveal.

My Thoughts
I was told by a friend that this book was fantastic, and since I love getting recommendations for books I would normally not pick up on my own, I was all over it. And I am so glad I read it because it was absolutely amazing. I will be honest and say that cover does not do this book justice, and I think that it might be a reason why people might not pick this book up, but you should! Because it is an epic fantasy adventure that you will want to escape into from the beginning.

We start of with a young girl names Persephone who has spent most of her sixteen years as a slave to many men who think nothing of her, and her skills. Then one day she meets a young chicken thief named Azriel who changes her life forever. It is only when she learns that Azriel thinks she has a special destiny that Persephone plots her escape from her very handsome capture.

I love fantasy and this book is full of it, it really is an epic story of a girl trying to find her way in life and having to chose between what she thinks she wants and what her heart wants. Not only was there an absolutely amazing love story in this book (full of sexual tension and 'almost moments' that will make you angry haha) but it also has some absolutely amazing writing. The way Maureen writes makes you want to devour every page. Her ability to have this high quality writing without losing the YA voice is amazing. She is a talent that I am so glad I can share with everyone, because she deserves it.

This book blew everything I expected out the window and made me fall in love with every character, even the ones that you love to hate. Please pick up this book if you have the chance, the characters are amazingly done, and you feel a connection to Persephone right away, and you will root for her from beginning to end. A great Fantasy adventure that will leave you breathless at its end.